Abnormal psychology is the study of behaviors, emotions, or thoughts considered abnormal or unusual, which can then be categorized into mental disorders. There are a plethora of classification systems and models used to diagnose and determine mental disorders, including the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) and the Research Domain Criteria Project (RDoC). The DSM is a classification system that defines a disorder with a set of signs and symptoms. The RDoC aims to influence future DSMs by aiding in the understanding of what causes mental disorders, not just the signs and symptoms. Another useful tool for diagnosing mental disorders is the medical model of mental disorders. This model states that every mental disorder has a cause, which means theoretically, every disorder is treatable. These diagnostic tools can be extremely helpful when trying to determine the exact disorder an individual may have, but it can also be detrimental to those with said disorders. Many mental disorders have stigmas attached to them. Labelling disorders may help a person receive the proper care and treatment he or she …show more content…
In a world where everything is posted on social media, these platforms can be a great tool for discussing mental health and working to dispel stigmas and stereotypes. However, increasing awareness of mental disorders in the community can also have negative effects on the person with the disorder and the community surrounding him or her. As knowledge of a specific mental disorder increases in the general public, individuals may become hypervigilant to supposed “signs and symptoms” outlined in the DSM-5. The behaviors, thoughts, or emotions that characterize a specific mental disorder may be deemed dangerous by individuals that do not suffer from the disorder, even though the individual may not actually be a danger to himself or herself, or any other
Everyday people see upsetting posts on social media. These posts cause range of emotions from anger to sadness. Typically, the viewers of these posts have not been exposed to the situations. Mental illness has
Many doctors and school officials believe that the diagnosis and labeling of these individuals is helpful so that they can be assisted with their struggles. The idea is that if a disorder goes undiagnosed it must go untreated
Mental illness in this manner is the belief that such illnesses can be identified and classified (As in the DSM & ICD)
The DSM is used as a standard of reference for psychological diagnosis. The DSM was originally published in 1952 containing only 106 diagnoses; today the revised DSM-IV-TR contains 365 diagnoses. Throughout the history of the DSM, individuals in the mental health profession have relied on it for clarification of disorders, facilitating research, improving communication with other professionals and improving the collection of clinical information. With a new DSM-V underway, there has been a lot of issues surrounding the contents and classifications of the new DSM. There are
Technology throughout its existence has improved the overall quality of life for many people around the world. Its impact is evident in our generation, where many people rely on technology to gain information on current events, increase work efficiency and even helping us understand ourselves. “Advances in neuroscience, technology and research sophistication have greatly increased understanding of mental illnesses and improved the treatment of these disorders.” (Wahl, 2011). Despite our knowledge on various mental illnesses, many individuals stray away from professional assistance due to the stigma that is attached to the illness; many individuals do not opt for help because they do not want a label attached to them. Social media is a huge platform that influences many people and the slandering that many media platforms do when they discuss the topic of mental illness is slowly increasing and is an issue that must be discussed.
My stereotypes and perceptions of the mentally ill have changed over the years. Some of these were because I lacked knowledge mental health and the other was just being ignorant. Public stigma gave me many preconceptions of the mentally ill. Media was probably the worst with its nightly news reporting, on reasons why a person had disruptive or violent behaviors. Reporter’s always tried to link the mental state of the person to the crime or incident. It was always interesting how everyone in my family sat around the TV making comments. I was young at the at time and listened to how they called confirmed people with a history of mental illness “nuts” or they most have “lost their marbles”. Growing up I remember if anyone did not act normal or
With the ongoing advance in technology today, it is no surprise that the media is becoming an even greater source in acquiring and sharing information. But exactly how accurate are these reported information? As mentioned in Otto Wahl’s, Media Madness: Public Images of Mental Illness, Americans tend to retrieve most their knowledge about mental illness through the mass media (Wahl 3). When it comes to mental illness, it is safe to say that much of society views the mentally ill as deviants who are capricious and potentially dangerous. Or at least, that is how they are sometimes portrayed in movies, books, music, magazines, etc. Those who are knowledgeable about the severity and seriousness of mental illnesses often view the
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is currently the most frequently used way of standardizing and defining psychological disorders. However, the classification systems such as DSM have advantages and disadvantages. The major weakness of DSM is that it judges symptoms superficially and ignores other possible important factors. The major strength of DSM is that it enables categorization of psychological disorders.
that is passed down to each individual. The medical model defines mental illness as a biological disease that is caused by malfunctioning neurophysiological process. The DSM-5 is used in the medical model as a classification system of psychological disorders to help the clinician diagnosis and treat mental illnesses. There are strengths and limitations of focusing on the medical model and the use of the DSM when working with clients.
Several months ago, I assisted in the care of a psychiatric patient who harbored ill-will towards Hispanics. While helping care for him the patient uttered belittling remarks about me and at one point stated that he wished to "kill Hispanics". I was offered early in his visit to be unassigned from his care team. I refused. In medicine one must be able to be courteous, professional and objective at all times, and I refused to let his comments deter me from helping him get the best care
Being able to form a diagnosis properly for a client is a process that is wide-ranging and broad. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013) supports recommendations and standards for identifying a diagnosis for a client. The procedure of diagnosing is more than skimming for symptoms in the DSM; one must assess, interview and identify issues, as well as refer to the DSM for a diagnosis.
There are quite a few mental disorders that one can experience—they include ADHD, anxiety disorders, autism, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, depression, dissociative disorders, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), posttraumatic stress disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and schizophrenia (“Mental Health Conditions”). Out of all of these illnesses, it seems like the most common disorder that people trivialize on social media is depression, but lately OCD has been a rising contender.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) has a number of features. First of all, every disorder is identified using a name and a numerical code. In addition, the manual provides the criteria for diagnosing each disorder as well as establishes subtypes of a disorder and examples that would illustrate the disorder. The manual goes further by addressing the typical age of onset, culturally related information, gender-related information, prevalence of a disorder, typical clinical course of a disorder, typical predisposing factors of a disorder and genetic family patterns of a disease (Summers, 2009). The DSM-IV is a tool that is used by mental health practitioners and social service workers. As has been demonstrated
Personality disorders are among the most significant mental health risks resulting from social media depression and anxiety. While depression and anxiety are life-altering health concerns that may be contributed to social media, these generally mild illnesses can mature into much more intense personality disorders. This category of mental illness is among the most destructive and revered as most antagonizing within the field of psychology. Individuals diagnosed with severe personality disorders are no longer only a danger to their own well-being, but pose a threat to others near them both physically and emotionally. Research of an experiment conducted by Rosen suggests that “...
Ever since my later adolescence years, I have always been intrigued by the diverse complexity of the human brain. Numerous days I have sat down obtrusively observing my surroundings just to satisfy my curiosity on how individuals think, reason and problem solve everyday life happenings. As such, when it was time to attend university, I decided to study psychology as a means of gaining knowledge and understanding about individuals’ cognitive processes and their behavior. During my undergraduate studies, for a particular reason, I was struck by Abnormal Psychology and spent hours thinking about the various disorders captured by the then Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM IV). I spent an awful lot of time trying to understand the differing disorders and how their impact on the behavior and thinking processes of individuals that are diagnosed with them.